WHEN GRIT ISN'T ENOUGH

We love to believe that effort alone will guarantee our success. Founders are wired that way. If you care enough and grind hard enough, you can build anything, right?

The truth is not every opportunity is created equal. And not every opportunity matches what you bring to the table.

The best founders aren’t the ones who try to force every idea into existence. They’re the ones who understand the shape of each opportunity and whether it fits their strengths, wiring, and leadership style. They know when the terrain is steep enough to stretch them in the right ways and when it’s simply the wrong climb.

Read more in How to Choose the Right Opportunity: Matching Your Strengths to the Work.

Too many leaders waste years grinding through opportunities they were never built for. If you want to build a company that lasts, don’t just ask, “Can I do this?” Ask, “Should I be doing this?”

PERSPECTIVES

“There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all." — Peter Drucker, Management Consultant and Author

MARK MY WORDS

Early in my career, I believed what a lot of founders do: that grit would get me where I wanted to go. That if I worked hard enough, I could push through anything. And sometimes that was true.

But over time, I started to see the cost. I was spending too much time and energy on work that didn’t really fit how I think or lead. It wasn’t that I couldn’t do it. It just didn’t feel right.

When I started Ninety, I chose a path that leaned into what matters most to me: structure, clarity, and building long-term value. That alignment made all the difference when things got tough.

It’s not about doing less. Anyone who knows me knows that’s not how I’m wired. It’s about doing the kind of work that fuels you. That’s what gives you staying power.

GOT A MINUTE?

J&C Tropicals started with seeds carried from Cuba in an envelope. Today, it’s a $100 million company. In this clip, we talk about what it takes to grow a business while also carrying a family legacy.  Two very different kinds of pressure, and one person trying to carry them both.

[Watch Now]

ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD

In case you missed it, here’s more from Founder’s Framework:

What Is Performance, Really?

As founders, we talk a lot about performance. But it’s easy to confuse activity with impact. In this piece, I dig into how we define performance at Ninety and why alignment matters more than raw effort.

[Read Now]

A reminder that strength isn’t always about staying. Sometimes it’s knowing when to walk away from something that doesn’t feel right.